FLORA’S TEMPER
If you haven’t yet checked out Nightcliff’s newest haunt, Flora’s temper, the time has come round up your amigos and amigas, and pop by for some delish Mexican fare as you sink a cheeky marg or two.
WORDS TIERNEY WHITE
FORMERLY THE LUCKY Bat, the space has been transformed and reimagined, with a Mexican twist. Tables are adorned by bright floral vinyl tablecloths, the area moodily lit, as the sounds of sweet beats emanate from speakers or burst from the chops and instruments of local and visiting musos.
With decades of experience in the hospo scene, owner Nicho Peters took over the space with his business partner Simo last year, supported on the daily by powerhouse venue manager Mookie. When they took on the venue in 2024, Flora’s temper continued to operate as a café and night spot as the Bat once did, before changing things up this year.
“We moved to Darwin early ‘23 ... and everything I’d heard [about the space] was that it was f-cking cool,” Peters says.
“It’s got a good feel, a good spot in the neighbourhood, a good community – room to do stuff ... then we took it over around last April, opened in July, and did a bit of a Mediterranean thing ... [but this year] we scaled it right back.”
Flora’s Mexicantina launched in March, with a jazzed-up food and bev menu, much to the delight of, well, everyone. Inspired by overseas travel and the appeal of a simple menu done well, Peters has curated a spread in cahoots with his chef Rebecca that screams “yum”.
Tuck into nachos, fish, pork and chicken tacos, and quesadillas, or feast on larger plates like fish Veracruz, cauliflower with green salsa, cream, salsa macha, and pickled onion, and chilli con carne meatballs. Told you. Yum.
One thing Peters reckons one dish you can’t go past is the ceviche.
“Love the ceviche, we get the fish in every day. Rebecca’s latest iteration is really good. At the moment, we’re using saddletail snapper, which is awesome for it, super light, super fresh,” he says.
The menu’s heavily inspired by the freshness of local produce, and Darwin’s tropical atmosphere.
“It’s gotta be full of flavour and it’s gotta have punch. Rather than fats and sweet flavours, we’re leaning into acid and freshness and embracing the tropics,” Peters says.
The venue’s been set up to serve as a one-stop-shop for any experience you crave. Brekkie or an early dinner with the kids, bottomless brunch with your mates on the weekend, or music and margs in the eve.
“We’ve only done this version for about two months now, and I’m hoping it’s the kind of place where people won’t have to think about what’s on,” Peters says.
“Folks know they can come in at four-thirty and grab a frozen margie and have a taco, and they’ll probably bump into someone. There’ll be something cool happening like a DJ in the back garden bar or Boots Club doing line-dancing or a bonsai workshop. There’ll be some thing, where you can come in for something to eat and drink, but you might be here while there’s something else going on as well.”
Head on in and enjoy chilled boozy concoctions, tacos and good times, and discover something new. Muy bien.
WHEN THU, 4.30-8.30PM | FRI & SAT, 11.30AM-11PM | SUN, 11.30AM-3PM
AT 8 PAVONIA PLACE, NIGHTCLIFF
INFO florastemper.com
Inset: Nicho and Mookie
